Liverpool 2-1 Middlesbrough

For the second consecutive season Liverpool allowed Boro to take the lead, but this time they left their comeback till the last five minutes to ensure the reds best Premiership start for 7 years.

Liverpool made an enterprising start to a game with a settled line up. The only changes in the team where the return of Alonso to the starting line up after injury and Skrtel replacing the injured Hyypia.

Keane and Torres showed that their training ground work was benefitting each other as they showed a lot more purpose and togetherness up front.  What they hadn’t planned for was the impressive Boro rearguard who were repelling Liverpool’s attacking threat.

In the second half as both sides pushed for a winner it was Boro who drew first blood when Mido, fresh on the field, smashed home a 30 yard shot low past Reina.

Cue the typical Liverpool wake-up call and with 5 minutes left on the clock the ball landed to Carragher outside the box who fired home, only for Pogatetz to move towards the ball and deflect it past the keeper.

Both sides had chances to land the winner but in injury time it was Steven Gerrard, who received the inch perfect pass from Alonso, and then fired home to cap off a sensational ending for Liverpool.  Anfield rocked, and the reds take another three points.

Goals

Mido goal (0-1)

Carragher goal (1-1)

Gerrard goal (2-1)

Teams

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa (El Zhar 83), Carragher, Skrtel, Dossena (Aurelio 75), Kuyt, Gerrard, Alonso, Benayoun (Babel 65), Keane, Torres.

Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Agger, Ngog, Plessis.

Booked: Arbeloa, Keane.

Goals: Pogatetz 86 og, Gerrard 90.

Middlesbrough: Turnbull, Wheater, Huth, Pogatetz, Taylor (Hoyte 75), Aliadiere, O’Neil, Shawky, Downing, Alves (Mido 60), Sanli (Digard 87).

Subs Not Used: Emnes, Adam Johnson, Williams.

Booked: Mido.

Goals: Mido 70.

Att: 43,168

Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).